


Forever

by sparklepox (travelingpsycho)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-22 22:26:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4852871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/travelingpsycho/pseuds/sparklepox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vampires Minseok and Junmyeon have spent centuries together, scarcely changing, until they meet Jongdae.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever

**Author's Note:**

> **Warnings:** vampires, bloodsucking and associated bloodplay, character death (as part of becoming a vampire), threesomes, implied foursome, mention of double penetration

Minseok and Junmyeon have been together for a long time. They're not _together_ together, not really, not like one of those vampire couples who have pledged their love to each other for all eternity. Rather, theirs is a more utilitarian connection. They're friends who know each other inside and out, friends who know how to please each other in bed, friends who can be counted on to keep each other company through the long years. Maybe it's a little unconventional, a little hard to explain, but it works for them.

They're quite content with each other's company most of the time, but there are certain things they can't provide each other with. The primary one, of course, is blood. In the modern era, as vampires have become more and more connected to human society, several options for getting the blood they need to survive have been established. There are blood banks, first of all, providing animal or human blood without the need to find an animal or human. That's enough to keep them going, but as Junmyeon commented after the first time they went to one, "They're just not very fun."

That's why they prefer the alternative, which is finding living, willing humans, either for a brief encounter or for a longer, mutually-pleasurable relationship. Finding human playthings gives them a steady source of blood, but it's more than that. It gives them variety in their long, long lives, new companionship in and out of bed, the kind of spark that only humans have. That may not be as essential to their survival as the blood, but it's what makes surviving worth it, keeps things interesting when it's easy for decade after decade to start to feel monotonous.

Junmyeon especially likes to have humans around. He's always been more of a social creature than Minseok and he likes to pick chatty ones who'll talk to him for hours and maybe even laugh at his stupid jokes, who'll tell him all about the human world they can never quite keep up with. Minseok has liked some of his choices more than others, but all in all, their tastes overlap well enough that regardless of who makes the choice, it'll be someone they're content to share.

As is often the case, Junmyeon is the one who finds their next human, Jongdae. There are bars and clubs for humans looking to get close to vampires, just for the night or for a while, but the place they meet him isn't one of those. It's just an ordinary bar that doesn't particularly encourage vampire clientele but is willing to serve them as long as they don't cause any trouble. Minseok and Junmyeon prefer places like this these days, because vampire groupies are easy to find, but they've had more than enough bad experiences to want to avoid them.

Jongdae isn't a vampire groupie. Jongdae doesn't even realize he's talking to a vampire when he strikes up a conversation with Junmyeon while Minseok is outside getting some air, missing the hints of his pale skin and slightly antiquated language. (Junmyeon has always been too stubborn to fully adapt to each new era, while Minseok just thinks it's too much trouble to bother trying.)

When Minseok comes back into the bar, he finds his seat occupied, so he stands next to Junmyeon, leaning possessively into his space. It startles the human he's talking to, his gaze flicking back and forth between the two of them. Junmyeon takes it in stride, wrapping an arm around Minseok's waist as he says, "Minseok, this is Kim Jongdae. Jongdae, meet Minseok."

"Nice to meet you, Minseok-ssi," Jongdae says politely, though he still looks confused.

"I don't like being so formal," Minseok tells him. "You can call me hyung." He likes that, the way humans will call him big brother when he's hundreds of years too old to be anything of the sort.

Jongdae is taken aback, probably since Minseok hasn't even asked his age, but he lets it go with a smile. "All right. Now, I'll just—"

"Stay," Junmyeon interrupts. "We were having a nice conversation, and I'm sure Minseok doesn't mind."

"I don't," Minseok confirms. They're playing with Jongdae and it's probably not very nice, but Minseok always enjoys this kind of thing. He and Junmyeon have perfected their game over the years, can read each other well and know when they want to tease like this and when they want to get right to the point. Tonight, they both want to play, see how long they can drag this out before Jongdae realizes what he's gotten himself into.

They make casual conversation for a good half an hour without that happening. Jongdae tells them that he's twenty-five and works a desk job in a bank ("Nothing interesting, unfortunately"). Junmyeon lies and says that they're both twenty-seven and work for a publishing company and Minseok doesn't contradict him, hiding his smile as Jongdae swallows the story without suspicion.

They talk about hobbies, sports and music and so on, because the words don't really matter. What matters is the way Jongdae's eyes dart over to Junmyeon's hand on Minseok's hip as he starts to rub his thumb over the bone in a seemingly absent but no doubt calculated gesture. Minseok leans his head onto Junmyeon's shoulder, making a point of watching him too closely as he talks. He decides to up the ante after a while, lifting his hand to Junmyeon's neck, fingers ruffling his hair, and he sees the motion catch Jongdae's attention.

What it finally takes for Jongdae to give them the amusing reaction they've been waiting for is Junmyeon pulling Minseok to stand between his legs, a hand splayed out over his chest even as he blatantly flirts with Jongdae. He stops in the middle of a story about his friend's dog and bursts out, "Okay, I have to ask: are you together? Because I thought you were coming on to me but now I'm just confused."

Minseok grins, and he doesn't have to turn around to know that Junmyeon's pleased with the result too. "We are," he says lightly. "More or less. But it doesn't mean we're not flirting with you."

Jongdae cocks his head questioningly. "Are you playing around or are you into threesomes or something?"

"We might be." Junmyeon slides his hand a little lower on Minseok's body as he says it and Jongdae stares for a few seconds before he catches himself. "Is that something you're interested in?"

"I..." Jongdae thinks about it for a few seconds and then gives a wry laugh. "I might be."

Minseok gives him the kind of smirk he knows drives people crazy and is pleased to see that it works on Jongdae. "Good. But there's something you should probably know first." 

Now Jongdae just looks confused, so Minseok decides to do this as directly as possible. He reaches out and brushes his hand along Jongdae's jaw and neck. He looks startled at the first touch, but then, for a moment he almost leans into it before he gets the point and jerks away, eyes going wide. "Cold. You're a vampire." He frowns, looking at Junmyeon and then back at Minseok. "Both of you?"

"Yes," Junmyeon tells him. "I apologize for lying to you about our ages and so on, but I wanted to see how long it'd take you to realize. Usually people figure it out sooner."

"I guess I should've been paying more attention." Now that the initial shock has passed, Jongdae is taking this surprisingly well, smiling sheepishly at them. "So you were just messing with me?"

"We're not," Minseok counters.

He still half expects Jongdae to run away and never look back, but he stays calm. "I take it if you're telling me now, you don't want to kill me."

"That's right," Junmyeon answers, "but we would very much like to taste you."

That seems to startle Jongdae, but Minseok can already see the hunger awakening in his eyes. They've caught his interest, and they've done this enough times before for Minseok to know that once a human gets that look in his eyes, they're sure to be able to have him.

 

They do have Jongdae that night. He looks a little nervous as they make their way home and even as they push him onto their big bed and strip him of his clothes, but that melts away as they start to touch him. Minseok is pleased with their choice now that he can see all of Jongdae's body, running his hands over Jongdae's muscular legs.

"How does it work?" Jongdae asks, already getting breathless as Junmyeon kisses his neck. "Drinking first, sex later? The opposite? Just drinking and no sex?"

"Definitely both." Minseok flashes Jongdae a feral grin and enjoys the way his eyes widen. "Junmyeon prefers to drink first. I like it better later. Do you think you can handle all of that?"

"I..." Jongdae forgets what he's saying as Junmyeon licks along his collarbone. "I don't know. You know better than me what a human can handle."

"That we do." Junmyeon's mouth is back on Jongdae's neck and Minseok knows he must be getting impatient. "Are you ready?" he asks.

Jongdae starts, not at the words but most likely at the feeling of Junmyeon's fangs on his skin. He meets Minseok's eyes and the hint of fear in his expression disappears as he stares, mesmerized. "Yeah," he answers, weak but certain. "I'm ready."

With that, Junmyeon bites. Minseok never tires of watching this, the way their humans look when Junmyeon drinks, especially the first time. Jongdae breathes in sharply, but then his eyes flutter closed and his head falls back, a blissful expression on his face. Vampires make it worth their while for humans to let themselves be fed off of.

They know humans' limits well, so it's not long before Junmyeon pulls away. Jongdae slumps back onto the bed and Junmyeon ignores him in favor of coming over to kiss Minseok, sharing the last bit of blood lingering in his mouth and smeared on his lips. It's a heady taste, enough to make Minseok eager for his turn later.

They kiss until the taste of blood has completely faded, and only then do they break apart to find Jongdae watching them. "That was hot," he says dazedly. "You kissing, I mean, but also...the thing." He touches his neck, smearing bright red blood over the marks from Junmyeon's fangs.

"We're only beginning," Junmyeon tells him. "Believe me." He moves close again and licks Jongdae's skin clean.

True to their word, they drag things out the way only vampires with a lot of experience can. Jongdae is delightfully responsive, gasping and moaning and begging as they string him along. Junmyeon is the first to come, decorating Jongdae's cheek and the bitten side of his neck with it. That leaves Minseok to pull Jongdae into his lap, wrapping an arm around his waist and pounding up into him.

Minseok waits until he's really close and Jongdae is too before yanking him down hard, grinding into him as he bites the other side of Jongdae's neck and tastes sweet, hot blood. He comes like that and so does Jongdae, shuddering in Minseok's arms as Junmyeon pulls him off. Minseok keeps drinking after they've both gone still, the euphoria of orgasm blending into that of drinking blood.

It's always hard to pull away, but he does before it's too much, licking his lips and then Jongdae's skin clean. Jongdae is limp in his arms, but he responds lethargically when Junmyeon kisses him. Minseok leans over Jongdae's shoulder to watch them, enjoying the sight and the buzz of sex together with the warmth of Jongdae's blood running through his veins. They definitely made a good choice this time.

They clean Jongdae up after, and even though he looks ten seconds away from falling asleep, he forces his eyes open. "I should go?" It's more a question than a statement, and he makes no move to actually do it.

Junmyeon smiles fondly; he really does like his humans, even ones he's just met. "Only if you want to. There's room in the bed for all of us."

Jongdae looks around blearily and then nods. "Yeah, I'll...yeah." His eyes are already closing and he lies down, curling up on his side. In almost no time, his breathing evens out and he's sound asleep.

Junmyeon and Minseok, still sitting on the bed, smile down at him. "You picked a good one," Minseok says.

"I did, didn't I?" Junmyeon has long since given up all pretense of humility with Minseok. "Should we keep him for a while?" There's no need to consider whether Jongdae will want to stay; if he's come this far, it's highly unlikely that he'll refuse them.

Minseok brushes his fingers over the marks he left on Jongdae's neck. "Yes," he says simply. "I think we should."

 

Jongdae is far from the first human they've kept like this. There have been so many Minseok can't even remember them all, their faces and personalities blending together in his overcrowded memory. He remembers little things about them instead, like dimpled cheeks or a tattooed arm or a loud, barking laugh. He wonders what he'll remember about Jongdae in fifty or a hundred years.

But for now, he just enjoys the process of getting to know a new human, finding out what he likes and what he can do that Minseok and Junmyeon like. Jongdae's kind of cute, with his cheerful smiles and playful whining, so Minseok might have expected him to be sweet and innocent, blushing as they take him places he's never dreamed of, but he's not. Sure, he's more innocent than a couple of vampires, but he's not shy or easily embarrassed no matter what they do.

Minseok enjoys Jongdae's brazenness, the way he doesn't hesitate to tell them what he wants and is willing to go along with most of what they want. Junmyeon tends to like it when humans are a little shy in bed, gets off on seeing them blush and squirm, but he doesn't seem to mind that Jongdae isn't like that. Minseok finds he likes that, because instead of Junmyeon smirking and playing up the dominant side of his personality like he often does with humans, there's more laughing, more of the real Junmyeon Minseok sees when it's just the two of them.

Outside of bed, too, they both enjoy Jongdae's company. Junmyeon likes the way he and Jongdae can talk and talk and talk some more. Minseok's never been all that talkative in the first place, and he and Junmyeon exhausted all the usual conversation topics decades (if not centuries) ago, so it's nice for Junmyeon to have company, and nice for Minseok to sit quietly and watch them, only joining in when he feels like it, or to have time to himself when he wants it.

For the first month, everything is new and exciting. Jongdae asks a lot of questions, eager to learn about them and their history and what it's like to be a vampire. They tell him how they met more than three centuries ago, how they began living together almost by coincidence and began sleeping together without giving it much thought, and now they've been like this so long that they can't imagine anything else.

"Sounds romantic," Jongdae says, and Minseok laughs. Jongdae turns a confused look on him. "Or not?"

"It's not like that," Minseok explains. "We're just friends."

Jongdae's eyebrows disappear into his hair. "Friends who have been living together and sleeping together for...more than twelve times as long as I've been alive?"

Junmyeon chuckles even as he places a possessive hand on Minseok's shoulder. "Maybe we're not quite just friends, but we're not lovers either. Nothing so...cliché."

"Oh, yes, wouldn't want to be _cliché_. Do vampires not do love?"

"It happens," Minseok tells him. "Just not with us." He is very fond of Junmyeon and would never want to lose him, but it is what it is. Minseok is happy with what they have, but he would never call it love, at least not the romantic kind.

Jongdae looks at them for a moment longer and then shrugs. "Whatever works for you. I'm sure you've been at it long enough to know what that is."

"We have," Junmyeon agrees. He drops his hand from Minseok's shoulder and instead pulls Jongdae toward him. "And what works for us is enjoying new company like yours..."

 

The second month, things are not so new, but it's nice to take advantage of everything they've learned about Jongdae, to make him scream in bed and laugh outside of it. Being with Jongdae is easy, Minseok finds, which is saying something for him. In spite of his youthful appearance, he often feels like an old man, wanting to yell at noisy kids to shut up and go inside, but Jongdae doesn't bother him. He learns to read Minseok surprisingly quickly, learns when it's okay to play with him and when he should back off, when to talk to him and when to be quiet.

He's good with Junmyeon too, laughing at his stupid jokes that Minseok has never even pretended to appreciate. Junmyeon's mellowed out a lot over the years, but he still gets caught in his own head sometimes, and Minseok's surprised to see Jongdae notice that and gently coax a smile out of him the first time he's around for it. He's perceptive, and that makes him fit well with them. Minseok and Junmyeon have grown so accustomed to their ability to read each other that they leave a lot unsaid, and Jongdae picks up more than most people would.

It's interesting, because they've both had their favorite humans over the years, whether for their personalities or their talents in bed or even the taste of their blood, but never the same ones. Minseok always thought they were too different for that, but with Jongdae, they both quickly come to like him a lot. Junmyeon, as always, is more obvious about it, cuddling and kissing and complimenting Jongdae until Minseok wrinkles his nose in disgust (which makes Jongdae laugh uproariously), but he's not the only one who's fond of Jongdae. Minseok also finds that he likes having him around, showing it in his indulgence of Jongdae's touchiness and the way he quietly takes care of Jongdae when he needs it.

Jongdae must like them well enough too because he sticks around as the months pass by. Many humans don't last more than a month or two with them, getting bored once the initial thrill fades or being pulled away by worried friends or family. Other times, it's Minseok and Junmyeon who decide that it's time to move on, but they're not ready to let go of Jongdae yet, and if he wants to stay, then for now, they're happy to keep him.

"Do your friends know what you've been getting up to?" Junmyeon asks once, some five months in. "Your family?" They're in bed together, sweat from their earlier activity still drying on their skin, and Junmyeon absently strokes his thumb over the marks Minseok's fangs left in Jongdae's neck as he talks.

"My friends...well, depending on the friend, they either know I'm seeing someone or know I'm seeing two someones."

"Two vampire someones?" Minseok asks curiously.

Jongdae shakes his head. "I haven't quite figured out how to work that into the conversation yet. I'll probably tell some of them eventually." He says it casually, seemingly unbothered. "They'll probably be surprised. I've never been a vampire groupie."

"Are you now?" Junmyeon asks dryly, and Jongdae laughs.

"I don't know what to call what I am now. The pet human of two vampire not-boyfriends?" He looks at Junmyeon and then Minseok, and even though he's still smiling, Minseok thinks he sees a hint of serious curiosity under it, like he really wants to know where he stands with them.

"I don't know what to call it either," Minseok says. "As you've seen, Junmyeon and I aren't very good at defining relationships."

"Ours," Junmyeon puts in, soft but firm, without hesitation. "That's what you are now: ours."

Jongdae's facing away from him, but Minseok can see his ears turn red, which he thinks is awfully cute. "I'll take that." Even though his tone is light, Minseok hears the surprised-sounding pleasure in it. That's also cute, and Minseok thinks he agrees, that he likes Jongdae being theirs.

 

Time passes and Jongdae becomes more and more of a fixture in their lives, more and more theirs. On the one hand, in some ways, Minseok feels like he's waiting for the end. He's seen over the centuries that everything comes to an end for humans sooner or later, usually sooner. As much as Jongdae seems to like being with them, he'll leave eventually. Forever is only for vampires.

But it's easy, more often than not, to forget about that. Life is brighter with Jongdae in it, and even when he's away, keeping up the motions of his normal human life, Minseok and Junmyeon smile more than they have in a good long time. It's not that they were sad before, that they'd forgotten how to laugh in their long years roaming the world. It's only that they'd grown tired, maybe, dulled by the everyday tedium of existence. That's part of why they've been bringing humans home regularly, but Minseok's not sure any of them have ever rubbed off on them as much as Jongdae has, at least not recently.

"I haven't seen you laugh this much in a century or more," Junmyeon comments once after Jongdae goes back to his apartment. "I thought it was because we were getting old inside, but it seems you just needed someone to wake that up in you."

"Maybe so, but you do give me a lot of good reasons to laugh," Minseok says lightly, before doing just that at Junmyeon's insulted expression.

Junmyeon smiles too after only a moment. "In any case, I think he's been good for us, don't you?"

"Are you looking for me to tell you that you made a good choice again?" Minseok teases. He doesn't need to say that he agrees, because Junmyeon already knows that.

Junmyeon grins. "I did, didn't I?"

 

And time keeps passing, until before Minseok knows it, it's been a year, which is the longest they've ever kept a human. There's no law to compel them to stop now, nor is it something they've ever specifically agreed on, but it seems as good a deadline as any, and there should be one. Humans who take up with vampires tend to drift away from their human lives, let work and family and friends fall by the wayside. It's a kindness to let them go before they drift too far to ever return to where they were before.

On the first Friday night after their anniversary (if you can call it that), Minseok and Junmyeon sit around waiting for Jongdae to come by after work. They're quiet, as they most often are after all this time together, but then Junmyeon turns to Minseok. "This should be the last time," he says soberly.

Minseok nods. This is the first they're speaking of it, but he knows what Junmyeon means, and Junmyeon knows that he'll agree. They've done this so many times that there's nothing to discuss. A part of him almost wants to argue, but Minseok's been around too long to let feelings distract him from what he knows is the best decision for all of them. "We'll tell him at the end."

Now Junmyeon nods, and that's all they say on the subject. There's no need to be sentimental; it's hard sometimes to say goodbye, and with how much they both like Jongdae, there's no question that it will be this time, but Minseok knows from experience that they'll move on soon enough. It just might take a little longer this time than it ever has before.

They stay quiet until Jongdae walks through the door. He came straight from work and he looks mature and serious with his tie and his briefcase, but then he grins at them and he's the Jongdae Minseok is accustomed to seeing. "Just sitting around waiting for me, huh? Don't you have a life when I'm not around?" It's an old joke by now, but Jongdae's enthusiasm for it hasn't dimmed.

"Quit talking and take off those stuffy clothes," Minseok orders, ignoring the question.

Jongdae laughs and does just that, while Minseok and Junmyeon unabashedly watch him. He has a drawer of spare clothes to change into here, but he doesn't bother getting them, just stands naked in their living room. "All right, the stuffy clothes are gone. What are you waiting for?"

Junmyeon gets to his feet and walks over to Jongdae, pulling him flush against him and kissing him deeply. It looks a little strange, Junmyeon fully dressed and Jongdae naked, but Minseok appreciates the visual. They're kissing hard and they barely pause as Junmyeon hefts Jongdae up with ease thanks to vampire strength, Jongdae's legs wrapping around his waist. Junmyeon carries him over to the bed and Minseok gets up to join them.

They keep kissing on the bed, so Minseok takes his clothes off. When they haven't budged an inch by the time he's done, he grabs the collar of Junmyeon's shirt and pulls him backwards. "Hey!" Junmyeon protests, turning a glare on Minseok, but he takes the hint, moving down so Minseok can have a turn kissing Jongdae.

"So nice, you guys fighting over me," Jongdae says, eyes twinkling.

"Don't let it go to your head," Minseok tosses back, not giving Jongdae a chance to respond before he kisses him, fisting his hands in Jongdae's hair as he dives into the heat of his mouth.

He's vaguely aware of Junmyeon moving down Jongdae's body, but he doesn't pay attention until Jongdae suddenly moans into the kiss. Minseok looks down and sees Junmyeon between Jongdae's legs, mouth pressed against his thigh, the smell of blood telling him that Junmyeon's drinking. He smirks, lips brushing Jongdae's cheek. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

Jongdae's only answer is a sharp intake of breath, his eyes fluttering closed. Minseok trails a hand down his cheek before shifting his attention to Jongdae's neck, sucking an ordinary hickey on the spot he wants to bite later. The marks from their bites fade disappointingly quickly, but this bruise should hang around long enough to remind Jongdae of them for a few days longer.

When Junmyeon's satisfied, he gets up again, and Minseok moves away to let him kiss Jongdae, watching long enough to see a smear of blood appear above Jongdae's mouth before he gets on with things. He grabs the lube and goes between Jongdae's legs, slicking up his fingers and drawing a line up his thigh over the marks from Junmyeon's fangs, enjoying the little shiver his touch sends through Jongdae.

Jongdae moans, muffled against Junmyeon's mouth, when Minseok presses a finger into him just to the first knuckle. He wants to take it slow tonight, make it last as long as he can, as though that will make the time they have left last longer. He pushes that thought out of his mind as soon as it sneaks in and focuses on the here and now; there's no use getting ahead and fretting over things that are inevitable.

Junmyeon pushes Jongdae down onto the bed and bends down to press his lips to Jongdae's shoulders and chest. Minseok can't see exactly what he's doing, but he can hear Jongdae's breath catch, turning into louder gasps and soft moans when Minseok returns his attention to the task at hand. He spreads Jongdae's legs further apart and puts his mouth on him, licking a stripe up his hard cock.

They take their sweet time with him, Junmyeon's mouth traveling all over Jongdae's body while Minseok stretches him open and teases him with licks and sucks. Jongdae whines and cajoles and progresses to full-on begging, but Minseok knows he's not really at his limit, both from past experience and because Jongdae's not so submissive that he'd let them push him past what he wants.

In the end, Jongdae takes both of them together, letting out the most beautiful, broken moans as they pump into him. It's so tight and perfect and Minseok bites down on Junmyeon's shoulder (without his fangs) as he comes to Jongdae's body clenching around him and Junmyeon shuddering against him, moaning with abandon.

Only after they've separated does Minseok gather a blissed-out and pliant Jongdae into his lap and dip his head to nuzzle at the mark he left on Jongdae's neck earlier. "Do it," Jongdae murmurs. "Want to feel you."

Minseok doesn't make him wait any longer, his fangs piercing Jongdae's skin and letting hot, sweet blood flow down his throat. It gives him the same buzz as always, but more relaxed like this, letting him enjoy the weight of Jongdae in his arms, the tang of his blood and the smoothness of his skin where Minseok's hand is rubbing his back.

Jongdae's arms wrap around Minseok, and he stays like that even after Minseok's finished drinking, head pillowed on his shoulder. "Are you going to sleep like this?" Minseok asks, bringing a hand up to ruffle Jongdae's hair.

"Would you let me?" Jongdae mumbles, barely audible.

Normally, Minseok would insist on getting them all cleaned up first, especially after a night like this, but Jongdae is clinging to him and he's so warm. Maybe this is Minseok's way of ignoring how soon he's going to have to let go of Jongdae and not look back, but he finds himself saying, "Just this once, I suppose."

So they lie down just like that, Jongdae still holding onto Minseok and Junmyeon behind him, draping an arm over Jongdae and Minseok both. Ordinarily, Junmyeon and Minseok stay awake for longer than Jongdae, but tonight, for once, they drift off together, warm and content in this little illusion of forever.

 

On Sunday night, Jongdae gathers his things to go back to his apartment and prepare for the week ahead. (It's a miracle, really, that he's managed to continue his work so well in spite of how much time he's spent with them, staying up until all hours of the night. Minseok has to admire his determination.) They don't have sex but they do each take a turn feeding from him before he goes. 

Minseok goes first, Jongdae climbing into his lap as he sits back on the couch. He has his shirt off, and he tilts his head to the side to expose his neck to Minseok. As much as Minseok likes the thrill of biting during or just after sex, he likes this too. There's something sensual about feeding no matter the context, and there's no need to think about timing or anything else except Jongdae and all that blood pumping through his veins.

He presses a kiss onto Jongdae's neck first, threading a hand into his hair and pushing his head a little lower before slowly sinking his fangs into Jongdae's skin. He rubs his thumb against Jongdae's scalp as he relishes the taste of the blood and the warmth it suffuses through his body, and also the weight of Jongdae on his legs and heat of his body. It's so good, and it's hard to believe that this will be the last time.

He doesn't want to stop, but it wouldn't be fair to Junmyeon if he took too much, so at last Minseok reluctantly pulls away. He presses his mouth over the cuts left by his fangs and breathes in the scent of Jongdae's skin and the lingering traces of blood for one long moment before he drops his hand from Jongdae's hair and leans back.

Jongdae smiles at him, that dazed, happy smile he gets after they feed, and gives him a kiss. He used to get squeamish about the blood, even though they pointed out that it was his own, but now he doesn't hesitate to run his tongue over Minseok's bloody lips and press it into his mouth. They kiss deep but unhurried for a minute or two before Jongdae slowly pulls away.

"All right, next," he says, getting to his feet and moving to the other end of the couch where Junmyeon is sitting.

Junmyeon doesn't go for the neck. Instead, he takes Jongdae's hand and turns it palm up, pulling Jongdae's wrist to his mouth. He meets Jongdae's eyes as he does it, and doesn't break eye contact as he bites down. They stay like that, looking at each other as Junmyeon drinks, and Minseok watches them. 

There's a little smile on Jongdae's face that he probably isn't even aware of, and Junmyeon...Junmyeon's eyes are dark and Minseok almost wishes he hadn't looked at them because he can't miss the sadness in them, sadness and affection that together mean that Junmyeon's in even deeper than Minseok thought, maybe deeper than Junmyeon himself realized. If Junmyeon's gotten that attached to Jongdae, saying goodbye will be harder than it's ever been before.

It's enough to kill Minseok's buzz, so he doesn't watch anymore, just sits back and waits for them to finish so they can face the music. Even if it's going to be hard to break things off, it's still the right choice, for Jongdae's sake and theirs too. It won't be any easier to say goodbye if they keep Jongdae around until he tires of them, or until he's too old to survive being fed off of or he dies from one of the many, many things fragile humans die of. They have to do this.

Jongdae looks so content when Junmyeon releases him, pressing a kiss to the palm of his hand before letting go. He flops in the middle of the couch, turning from one side to the other to smile at them. "I have to say, this is really not what I thought hanging out with vampires would be like. I'm glad you guys showed me how great it can be."

Neither Junmyeon nor Minseok responds, and Minseok can see Jongdae's smile falter and start to fade as he looks back and forth between them. "What's wrong?"

Junmyeon's better with this kind of thing, so Minseok waits for him to speak. "We've enjoyed having you around," he starts, gentle but firm, and Minseok sees Jongdae tense like he knows what's coming. "It's not that we don't like you anymore, but it's for the best for all of us to move on."

"Why is it better?" Jongdae protests. "If we're still having a good time together, why do we need to stop?" He looks over at Minseok as if hoping he'll agree, but he shakes his head.

"You have to understand," Junmyeon continues in the same gentle voice. "We've been around a long time. We've seen many humans come and go."

"So you've had enough and want me to go too?" Jongdae asks, not trying to hide his hurt.

"That's not it. But don't tell me your life hasn't suffered from being with us. Have you spent time with your family and friends like before? Have you put the same effort into your job that you did before you met us?"

"It's my life," Jongdae retorts. "My choice. I don't care if you're hundreds of years older than me. I don't need you to act like my dad and make decisions for me."

Junmyeon doesn't get angry; he never does anymore. "I'm not telling you what to do. But I want you to realize that there has been a cost to being with us, and it'll only get bigger the longer you stay. Are you really prepared to pay so much? Your friends won't stick by you forever. We've seen it happen."

Jongdae doesn't respond immediately, so Junmyeon presses on, "And this won't be forever. You'll get old, maybe get too sick to be fed off of, and we won't change. We'll stay like this, the way we have since long before you were born, and what will you have left? Don't pin everything on us. You'll only be disappointed."

Jongdae's hands are clenched into fists and Minseok feels guilty, but he doesn't doubt that this needs to happen. Just as they'll eventually move on, so will Jongdae, and his life will be better for it. Minseok has seen it happen enough times to know that this is the right choice.

He doesn't know if they've convinced Jongdae of that or not, but in any case, he takes in a deep breath and then lets it out before he says, "Fine. I'll go. I'll..." He trails off and just shakes his head, leaving that thought unsaid. "Have a nice life, I guess, or whatever you want to call it."

They don't say another word as Jongdae puts on his shirt, collects his things, and walks out the door without looking back. When he's gone, Junmyeon slumps down on the couch like he's exhausted by the effort, finally letting his feelings show.

"You really like him," Minseok says quietly, with no particular emphasis.

Junmyeon looks steadily back at him and doesn't deny it. Instead, after a long pause, he says in the same tone, "So do you."

Minseok frowns, realizing that he can't deny it either. This is going to be hard for both of them, harder than he ever remembers it being before. Still, it doesn't matter anymore; it's done. He smiles a crooked little smile and says, "We'll find someone else. We always do."

Junmyeon nods and doesn't say that it'll be a long time before they find someone they like as much as Jongdae again. They're both thinking it, so he doesn't have to.

 

They don't talk about it again, though Minseok has no doubt that Junmyeon is also, in the days that follow, thinking about how the world feels grayer without Jongdae. They go to the vampire clubs and easily pick up groupies, drink from them and fuck them and never lack for company when they want it, but they don't let anyone stick around. For now, it's better to just get what they need without getting attached. They'll find a new human to keep around when they're ready.

Four months later, they still haven't found anyone new, and Minseok suspects Junmyeon is getting lonely. They used to go years with no consistent company except each other, but as they get older, solitude seems to bother Junmyeon more. To tell the truth, after the way Jongdae lit up their home, Minseok also feels like something is missing from their lives.

That's why he doesn't argue, despite his reservations, when Junmyeon suggests they go to the bar where they met Jongdae instead of the more vampire-friendly places they've been frequenting recently. "It'll be nice to have a change of scene," Junmyeon explains like they don't both know why he wants to go there. Minseok just agrees and lets him pretend.

It's been four months since they sent Jongdae away, and a lot longer since they met him here, so it's silly to expect him to be there. Minseok tells himself that as they step through the door, but his heart still sinks when he looks around and doesn't see a single familiar face.

They go to the bar and order their drinks ("Blood-style cocktails for the discerning vampire!"), then sit in silence off to the side, watching the clientele. There's nothing interesting to see, so Minseok spaces out, and he's startled when Junmyeon suddenly gasps out, "What?"

He lifts his head, and he doesn't have to ask because his eyes go right to Jongdae walking in the door. He also sees another man walk in just behind him, a hand resting on Jongdae's back. Jongdae doesn't look their way, just sits at the bar with his companion.

Minseok looks over at Junmyeon, whose eyes are still on Jongdae. "I was sure he wouldn't be here." Junmyeon's voice is soft, with an undercurrent of disbelief.

"Me too." Junmyeon is still staring, although Jongdae's back is to them. Minseok watches him watch Jongdae for a minute, two, before finally he says, "Go talk to him."

Junmyeon starts and looks at Minseok with wide eyes. "What? But..."

Minseok shrugs. "Maybe it's a sign that he's here when we were so sure he wouldn't be. It'd be a waste not to talk to him."

Junmyeon considers for only a moment before he says, "Okay. But come with me." Off Minseok's surprised look, he adds, "Oh, don't pretend I'm the only one who's missed him. I know you better than that."

Minseok smiles ruefully and doesn't disagree. He hasn't quite been pining like Junmyeon, but he has missed having Jongdae around. "If you insist."

Jongdae doesn't see them approaching, but his friend is facing them and he notices when they stand right behind Jongdae. "Um, hi?" he offers.

Now Jongdae turns around, and his eyes go wide. Minseok doesn't know if it's a good or bad kind of surprise. "You're...you're here."

"Yes, we are." Junmyeon smiles, like he wasn't equally shocked before.

Jongdae looks back and forth between Junmyeon and Minseok, seemingly at a loss for words. His friend is the one who breaks the silence. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

Jongdae looks startled by the question. "Um, yes. This is my friend Baekhyun. Baek, this is Junmyeon and Minseok."

" _Oh._ " It's clear by his reaction that Baekhyun's heard their names before. Minseok remembers Baekhyun's name too, but they never met any of Jongdae's friends, despite him occasionally trying to convince them to. That's not the kind of thing they do. Whatever Baekhyun may think of them, given that, he only smiles and says, "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Junmyeon responds and Minseok nods a greeting.

Silence descends again, and Jongdae bites his lip, frowning. Minseok is starting to wonder if they should just go if he's so uncomfortable, but then Jongdae turns to Baekhyun, who doesn't even wait for him to say anything before he abruptly gets to his feet and announces, "I'm going to go have a smoke or...do something that involves not being here." He hesitates for just a moment, putting a hand on Jongdae's shoulder, but when Jongdae nods, he leaves.

They take Jongdae back to their table to talk a little more privately. He looks wary, but he goes with them readily, without saying a word until they're sitting down. Only then does he say, uncharacteristically without so much as a hint of a smile on his face, "I've been here quite a few times the last few months. I've never seen you."

"We haven't been here," Junmyeon responds, carefully neutral.

Jongdae looks at them for a long moment like he's trying to read something in their faces. "Then why are you here now?"

Junmyeon and Minseok exchange a glance, and Minseok can see that Junmyeon is hesitating, so he answers, "Because we missed you."

Jongdae looks taken aback, but Minseok can't say if he's surprised at the fact or just that Minseok admitted it so easily. "Suddenly after four months, you missed me? Four months after you told me to get lost, in case you've forgotten."

"We haven't forgotten," Junmyeon says quietly. "We...it's not as simple as you think."

"No?" Without waiting for a reply, Jongdae continues, "You let me spend a year with you, getting attached, and then suddenly you dumped me for my own good? I don't know if you're trying to ease your conscience or if you're just in denial, but you didn't do me any favors letting me go. If you care that much, why would you get involved with me in the first place?"

"Well, it's—" Junmyeon starts, but Jongdae doesn't seem willing to listen until he's said his piece.

"Was it just a game for you the whole time? Make the silly human fall for you and then cut him loose, spinning a story to make it sound like you're doing him a favor? I really thought you...I don't know, but I guess I was wrong. You've probably done this a hundred times before, haven't you?"

They can't deny that it's far from the first time they've found a human and then sent him away, but it's not as simple as all that. Minseok's still thinking about that when Junmyeon responds, "It wasn't a game. It's...we didn't miss you suddenly after four months. We've missed you the whole time."

"Then why?" Jongdae's trying to hold onto his anger, but Minseok can see that this is getting to him."

"Maybe you're right," Minseok puts in. "Maybe we were deluding ourselves thinking we were doing you a favor, but we did mean well. We didn't do it to hurt you or because we were sick of you."

"I get it." Jongdae's gone quiet again, anger replaced with weariness. "It's always 'we.' No matter what you call your relationship, it's the two of you, together forever. Anyone else was always going to be temporary."

And that's the crux of it, isn't it? It's been Junmyeon and Minseok for so long that it seems like it always has been, and like it'll always be just them. They've spent hundreds of years together, barely changing. It's not so much that change would be frightening at this point as that the possibility hasn't entered their minds in a very long time. That's why they didn't question letting go of Jongdae the way they did every human before him, but what could happen now if they consider the alternative?

"I know I'm only human and it can't last," Jongdae continues, "but I thought just maybe...I was important to you too. Not the same way you are to each other, but important enough for you do want to keep me around."

"You..." Junmyeon starts but thinks better of it, trailing off and biting his lip.

"You were important," Minseok finishes for him. "Are." The truth is that Minseok's never been as reluctant to send a human away as he was with Jongdae, and he's never thought about maybe taking one back. The truth is that Jongdae is important in a different way from what Junmyeon and Minseok are to each other, different but good, and having him around shifted things between them in a way that Minseok liked, a way he misses now. He looks at Junmyeon, challenging him to admit the same.

"But what about when you get old and realize you've wasted your life with us?" Junmyeon asks. He's trying to stay neutral, but Minseok can hear the sadness sneaking into his words.

"Who says it'll be a waste?" Jongdae shoots back. Then, after a moment, "And what if I don't get old?"

"What do you mean?" Junmyeon asks warily.

"You don't get old. Why do I have to?"

Maybe they should have expected this as the logical conclusion of the thread of conversation, but Minseok is shocked nevertheless. The last time he turned someone was before he even met Junmyeon. For Junmyeon, it's been over two centuries, and that time wasn't planned, only because they went too far feeding and couldn't just let the human die. (He'd been something of a groupie, long before they called it that, and was quite pleased to wake up a vampire, but he didn't stick around for long, and they weren't sorry to see him go.)

The idea of turning one of their human flings has come up now and then over the years, usually from the human side, but rarely, and never seriously (or at least Minseok didn't take it seriously). Junmyeon and Minseok usually hurried to rid themselves of humans who asked to be turned, not wanting to lose a ready food source and gain the potentially long-term responsibility of watching over a newly-turned vampire.

But Jongdae's not some vampire groupie romanticizing the idea of eternal life and youth without realizing what he has to lose. He probably doesn't truly understand what he's asking, but it seems to be less about being a vampire and more about being with them, and that's interesting but also frightening.

"Look," Jongdae says when the silence following his question stretches out too long. "I'm not asking you to turn me tonight. But if you mean what you said, then give me another chance. Give us a chance. We'll figure out the future later."

Minseok looks at Junmyeon, seeing the same uncertainty reflected in his eyes. Even if they're not going to turn Jongdae immediately, or maybe ever, this still seems like a big step, like opening themselves up to new possibilities. There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, and maybe it's even something they're overdue for, but they've lived in much the same way for so long that Minseok hardly remembers what it's like to face big changes.

But then he thinks back to when he and Junmyeon first got involved. It was so long ago that it's hard to remember the details, but Minseok does remember being skeptical that he'd like having a long-term companion when he'd been alone for so many years. Now, he can't imagine life without Junmyeon. Could the same thing happen with Jongdae?

Junmyeon is still looking at him, so Minseok gives a half shrug to say, _Why not try?_ Junmyeon, after a moment's hesitation, nods his agreement.

"You two and your silent conversations," Jongdae whines. He's teasing, but he still sounds tense despite the joke. Minseok feels the impulse to reassure him, and he supposes that says something about his feelings toward Jongdae.

Junmyeon must feel the same because he turns to Jongdae and says, "We're not committing to anything yet. None of us. But we'll move forward and see how it goes, all right?"

Jongdae nods, visibly relaxing. "That's all I'm asking."

There are a few beats of silence and then Junmyeon asks, "So are you busy tonight or can we get out of here?"

Jongdae laughs, his smile as bright as Minseok remembers. "Just let me tell Baekhyun I'm ditching him and we can go."

 

The strangest thing about having Jongdae in their home again is that it doesn’t feel strange at all. It feels like he never left, like he belongs here. At the same time, they haven't forgotten that time _has_ passed, that things have changed since the last time he was here, so there's a certain tension in the air as they go inside.

"So..." Jongdae sounds a little unsure, but then he pastes on a smirk. "I bet you haven't eaten anything half as delicious as me since I left."

Junmyeon bursts out laughing, and Minseok makes a face, prompting Jongdae to laugh along with them. "Tough audience. But take the hint. Don't think I didn't notice you staring at my neck on the way here."

"I don't know. I'm not really hungry..." Jongdae must know Minseok is teasing, but he pouts at him anyway.

Minseok's expecting Junmyeon to join him in teasing like he usually does, so he's startled to hear, "Well, I _am_ hungry. If Minseok doesn't want you, that means more for me."

Jongdae laughs at Minseok's put out expression, and Minseok has to laugh too after a moment. It relaxes all of them, and Minseok finds himself smiling as he watches Junmyeon step in close to Jongdae, grabbing hold of his shirt and bending down toward his neck, taking in his scent. Jongdae's smile has faded into an expression of undisguised want and anticipation, his eyes fluttering shut when Junmyeon's lips press against his skin.

It's nice to watch, but Minseok wants to be closer, wants to feel the warmth of Jongdae's skin, the pounding of his heart. He moves behind Jongdae, wrapping his arms around Jongdae's waist and pressing against his back, the whole length of his body. Jongdae acknowledges his presence by leaning back into him, and Minseok presses a smile to the other side of his neck.

"Okay," Junmyeon murmurs, and that's all the warning he gives before he bites down. It sends a tremor through Jongdae's body, and Minseok feels his heartbeat pick up. Minseok lifts his head so his mouth is by Jongdae's ear and whispers, "Has anyone bitten you since us?"

Jongdae starts to shake his head, then thinks better of the movement given Junmyeon's position. "I thought about it," he answers in a low voice, "but I didn't want anyone else. Only you." His voice wavers on the last word, leading into a gasp.

When Junmyeon finishes drinking, he leans over Jongdae's shoulder and kisses Minseok with Jongdae between them. Even secondhand, the taste of Jongdae’s blood is familiar to Minseok, making him feel strangely nostalgic and turned on at the same time. He doesn't think he wants to wait to have a taste of his own.

He flattens his palm over Jongdae's stomach and lets it drift down until it hits his belt. "Jongdae. I'm going to bite you too."

"Hungry after all?" Jongdae asks. The teasing is lost in the hazy buzz being fed off has given him, but Minseok isn't planning to answer anyway. He only sinks his fangs into Jongdae's neck on the other side, relishing the familiar taste of Jongdae's blood and the heat that spreads through his body as he drinks it down.

Jongdae is leaning more and more heavily against him, but it's easy for Minseok to support him. Junmyeon steps back to watch them, and Minseok wraps one arm more securely around Jongdae's chest, his other hand still sitting low on his stomach. They're not going any farther just yet, but he can feel that Jongdae wants it, feel what this is doing to him.

He licks his lips after he pulls away, then laps at the blood left on Jongdae's skin. He doesn't stop there, licking up the side of Jongdae's neck and making him shiver. "Fuck, I forgot how good that feels," Jongdae breathes out. "Does it—I mean, do you...for you, is it...?"

"Yes, it feels good." Minseok's voice drops lower as he adds, "It turns us on too. But you knew that."

"I...yeah." Jongdae's eyes are so dark when he turns in Minseok's arms, his face flushed. Minseok wonders for a moment if he overdid it, but it's probably just that Jongdae's not used to this anymore. "Yeah. Can we...I mean, can you...?"

Minseok is looking at Jongdae, focused on his parted lips and the rise and fall of his chest and thinking about what he'd like to do to him, but he hears Junmyeon chuckle. "Yes, we can."

And they do, stripping off Jongdae's clothes and bringing him to the bed, reacquainting themselves with his body. It's as nice as Minseok remembers, and even more so as they string him along, make him beg before he finally sobs out his release, writhing around on the bed, looking beautiful in his disarray.

They're all quiet for a while after, but once Jongdae catches his breath, he declares, "That's it. I'm never leaving your bed again."

"That might be a problem," Junmyeon tells him. "Minseok gets annoyed when the sheets are dirty and it'll be hard to change them with you in the way."

Jongdae laughs. "That's okay. I'll distract him." He pulls Minseok in for a kiss to demonstrate exactly how he'd do that.

Only later, when they've all come down from their high does Jongdae hesitantly ask, "So what now? Do we go back to the way things were?"

"No." Junmyeon's voice is soft, but Jongdae flinches at his answer, and Minseok puts a comforting hand on his shoulder as Junmyeon continues, "We go forward. We see how we want things to be from now on."

Jongdae nods, and then he yawns loudly, making them all laugh. "Does the way we want things to be now include me getting to sleep here? Because I don't think I'll make it home now."

"I think we can handle that," Junmyeon says, and Minseok nods.

"Good," Jongdae mumbles, his eyes already closing.

When he's asleep, Junmyeon sits up, looking down at Minseok. He's still smiling, looking happier than he has since they said goodbye to Jongdae. "What do you think?" he asks. "Is this good?"

Minseok looks at Jongdae's sleeping face, feeling a smile tug at his lips. "Yes," he answers, quietly so as not to wake Jongdae. "I think it's good."

 

At first, they do more or less go back to the way things were before, except that Jongdae spends even more time with them, coming by after work almost every single evening. They can't both bite him every night without it becoming too much, so sometimes they take turns and sometimes they don't even do that, just enjoy each other's company in ways that have nothing to do with sex or blood.

Jongdae doesn't bring up the possibility of them turning him again for almost two months, but then one night, as Minseok leisurely drinks out of the crook of his elbow, he suddenly says, "I guess if you guys turn me, you won't be able to feed off me anymore. That'll be very different, won't it?"

Minseok is in no position to respond right now, and when Junmyeon doesn't immediately say anything, Jongdae continues, "Would you still be interested in me like that? I mean, you two still have sex without blood being involved, right? But it seems like a big part with me."

Minseok is a bit offended that Jongdae is still able to focus so much under these circumstances, but he can't fault Jongdae for having these thoughts. Blood is still very much at the center of their sex life and their interactions in general, and that's dependent on Jongdae being human.

He lifts his head and Jongdae smiles distractedly at him. "I'm not sure I'll ever get used to seeing you with blood on that cute face." Minseok smiles back and makes a show of licking his lips, seeing Jongdae's eyes follow the movement.

"Not to ruin the moment," Junmyeon cuts in, "but...you're right, about us not being able to feed off you if we turn you. There's no way around that and there's no question that it would be a big change. For you too, you know. Who's to say you won't get bored with us when you can't get that blood-sucking high anymore?"

"I don't think I could ever get bored with you." Jongdae looks at Minseok. "Are you bored?"

Minseok laughs. "You're only asking me?"

"Well, you know..."

"Hey!" Junmyeon protests, but he's laughing too.

When their laughter dies down, Minseok answers, "I don't get bored. I don't need a lot of excitement, and besides, we can easily find company when we want something different."

"That makes sense..."

A few moments pass in silence before Junmyeon says, "It's too soon to make any decisions, but I want to be clear about something: you need to be sure. It's not something you can take back, becoming a vampire, and you may be able to pretend for a while, but it'll be the end of your human life. I suppose at this point there are things you'll have to sacrifice either way, but you need to think long and hard about if you're ready to make these sacrifices."

Minseok expects a joke from Jongdae, an attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere, but he only nods. "I have thought about it a lot, you know. But I'll keep thinking."

 

Jongdae only mentions being turned now and then, but every time he does, it's clear that he has been thinking about it on his own. Minseok tends to forget about it in between those mentions, but he does think about it right after, and he and Junmyeon discuss the subject just once, with Jongdae sound asleep beside them.

"If he decides he wants to be turned, should we do it?" Junmyeon looks at Jongdae as he speaks, his voice soft and almost sad.

Minseok takes a moment to consider the question. "He's very young, and no matter how much he says he understands what he's getting into, he can't truly understand until he lives it. But I think I would like to keep him with us, and at this point...I trust him to make the choice for himself. Do you?"

Junmyeon lets out a quiet sigh and for once Minseok doesn't know how he's going to answer. After a long pause, he only says, "Yes. And I want to keep him too."

 

It's a long time before Jongdae finally comes to a decision, not for a vampire but for a human, but at last he says that he knows he wants to be turned and stay with them. Minseok and Junmyeon both ask him repeatedly, but he insists that he's sure. Minseok believes that he's as sure as he can be, but he doesn't think anyone can be 100% sure of a decision, not when you don't know what the future will bring. He's not entirely sure himself that this is a good idea, but he knows that he's willing to take the risk of things ending badly in exchange for this chance to keep Jongdae with them.

When the time comes to go through with it, Jongdae looks scared but resolute. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he jokes weakly. "You're not going to screw this up?"

"It's like riding a bike. Even after two or three centuries, you don't forget." Minseok flashes him a reassuring smile.

"Did they even have bikes three centuries ago?" Jongdae teases, but his smile is stronger now.

They have to drain him to the point of death to turn him, and they agreed to do it together. Junmyeon takes Jongdae's neck and Minseok settles between his legs, and they bite almost in unison and start to drink.

It's a heady feeling, continuing past the point where he'd normally stop, feeling the warmth drain from Jongdae's body and enter his. "I'm scared," Jongdae blurts out, but before either of them can pull away to ask about it, he adds, "But don't stop."

The only other sound he makes is a whimper as his body starts to shut down. Minseok drinks only a little more and then hurries to get up. Junmyeon is already holding his wrist to Jongdae's mouth, and Minseok bites his own wrist to open the veins and drips blood into Jongdae's mouth when Junmyeon moves his hand away. This they also agreed to do together, so that Jongdae as a vampire can be both of theirs just the way he was as a human.

It's scary to see the light go out of Jongdae's eyes, even knowing what's coming. He's lying with his head in Junmyeon's lap now, and Junmyeon gently closes his eyes before looking over at Minseok. "Do you think..." He looks more uncertain than Minseok's seen him in a good, long time. "Do you think we're doing the right thing?"

Minseok doesn't lie to Junmyeon, so he shrugs. "I agree with this choice. Only time will tell if it's the right one."

They wait, holding a silent vigil of sorts, with the last of Jongdae's blood coursing through their veins. It's a long wait, but finally, Jongdae's eyes flutter open, strikingly dark in his deathly pale face. They have that wildness of a newly-turned vampire in them, and Minseok scrambles to get the bagged blood they prepared for him. It's both jarring and fascinating, seeing Jongdae drink blood with frantic eagerness, but it serves its purpose, driving the desperate hunger from his eyes.

"Are you with us?" Junmyeon asks when he's drained his second bag and seems to have calmed down.

It takes a moment for Jongdae to register the question, and for a moment, Minseok worries, but then Jongdae smiles. It's small compared to his usual smile and the blood around his mouth makes it look gruesome, but it's Jongdae's familiar smile nevertheless. "This is weird," he says, and he sounds the same too. "Really weird. But I'm still...me, I think."

Junmyeon's smile is much wider, much more sure. "Yes, that you are."

 

It takes a few months for Jongdae to settle, to adjust to the new state of his body and learn to manage his hunger. It's a struggle sometimes, but he faces it with good cheer most of the time. Minseok can't compare it to his own experience because he had no choice in becoming a vampire, nor did he have even one experienced vampire watching over him at the beginning, but it seems to him that Jongdae handles it as well as he could.

In some ways, it's an adjustment for Junmyeon and Minseok too. They're back on bagged blood until Jongdae's stable enough to be trusted drinking from humans, and although Jongdae is still Jongdae, the literal and figurative human warmth is gone from their apartment, and they both feel the loss.

"Sometimes I catch myself thinking that I miss Jongdae," Junmyeon admits one morning while Jongdae is sleeping.

Minseok hasn't thought that in so many words, but he nods because he understands the feeling. "But don't you think it's better to have him like this than to lose him entirely? We would soon enough, you know, one way or another."

"That's true." Junmyeon bites his lip as he thinks about that. "I suppose even for us some things can't last forever."

"We'll get used to it," Minseok assures him. "And I think it's worth the cost, don't you?"

"Yes," Junmyeon answers without hesitation. "It is."

 

Three months to the day after they turned him, Jongdae asks, light but not really joking, "Any regrets?" They're on the couch, Jongdae lying across Junmyeon and Minseok's laps, Junmyeon's fingers absently combing through his hair the way Jongdae likes. "I'm not bored yet, but maybe you are and you've just been too nice to tell me."

"We're not that nice," Minseok says with a laugh.

"It's different," Junmyeon adds a little more seriously, "but I'm not bored either. How about you? Any regrets?"

Jongdae stops and considers the question. "I'm still getting used to it," he admits. "And there are things I miss. People I miss. But I'm not sorry."

"Good." Junmyeon bends down to give Jongdae a kiss, which he eagerly returns, making Minseok smile. They're all still getting used to this, he thinks, and there are things they all miss from before, but there are no regrets.

 

They take Jongdae to have his first taste of a real live human a week later. He seems nervous, and Junmyeon and Minseok flank him closely, giving tacit reassurance. Even if he can't control himself, they won't let him go too far.

Jongdae chooses a boy with wide eyes who looks like a kid but accepts the offer with adult calm. "All of you?" he asks. "Or just one?"

"Just one," Junmyeon says. Minseok would like a taste too, but they need to be careful. He and Junmyeon can find someone else later.

They don't bring him home, just find a dark corner of the club. Jongdae's nervousness is gone, replaced by eagerness to taste this boy, to feed. He barely hesitates before bending down and biting into his neck, the smell of blood filling the air.

Minseok moves behind the boy, close enough to feel his heartbeat and make sure he's all right. Junmyeon is next to Jongdae, a hand on the back of his neck to anchor him, remind him who he is. They're both wary, but in the end, they don't have to be; Jongdae pulls away without being forced. "Thanks," he murmurs, drawing a soft burst of laughter from the human.

"You don't have to thank me." He pulls away, wiping his neck with his hand. "See you around."

When he's gone, Jongdae wryly asks, "Is it so weird to say thank you?" He doesn't wait for an answer, licking his lips and then leaning in to give Minseok a lingering kiss. "I understand now why you guys were always so excited about drinking from me. It's a different feeling from being fed off of, but I like it."

"It's nice, isn't it?" Junmyeon agrees. "Not at all like drinking from a bag."

Junmyeon and Minseok share another human, and Jongdae decides he really wants another drink, so they find him one more human before they go. "Don't get greedy now," Minseok teases, but he likes the light the fresh blood has woken in Jongdae's eyes, the way he's buzzing with the unfamiliar high of it as they make their way home.

Jongdae practically drags them into bed once they arrive. This aspect of their lives has also taken some adjustment, but Jongdae is no less eager to have them than he used to be. If anything, him being a vampire, with the strength and stamina that entails, allows them to have that much more fun. Beyond that, their interactions have gradually shifted over all the time they've been with Jongdae, so it's no longer always Junmyeon and Minseok ganging up to make him fall apart but different combinations, the three of them finding different ways to make each other feel good.

Tonight, Jongdae is especially fired up, riding the blood high and the simple excitement of having a night out after being cooped up for so long. "I need someone inside me," he groans. "Or me inside someone, I don't know, just..."

He ends up with both, Junmyeon riding him while Minseok spreads his legs and thrusts into him, enjoying the fleeting warmth that human blood has returned to Jongdae's body. Minseok touches Junmyeon as he moves, appreciating the sounds he makes blending with Jongdae's louder moans, and it feels good, not just the sensations but the three of them chasing release together like this.

Junmyeon comes first, bending down to kiss Jongdae as he pulls him over the edge with him. Minseok doesn't last much longer, thrusting a few more times as Jongdae's muscles clamp tight around him before he's pitching forward to muffle his moans against Junmyeon's shoulder as he comes in a heated rush of pleasure.

It feels good to lie together afterward too. Jongdae curls into Minseok's chest, their legs tangling together, and Junmyeon lies behind him, close enough to drape his arm over Jongdae's side and reach Minseok's back, fingers soft on his skin.

"I'm glad this hasn't changed," Jongdae mumbles sleepily (even though he's no longer human and shouldn't get tired so easily). "I was afraid you wouldn't want me anymore, so...I'm glad."

"You don't need to worry about that," Junmyeon murmurs into Jongdae's neck, and Minseok adds his own reassurance with a gentle hand on Jongdae's hip.

"Good." Jongdae's voice has gone faint, and Minseok's not surprised when he's asleep within a minute.

"It seems some things never change," Junmyeon says with a soft chuckle.

"I don't mind," Minseok says. "Do you?"

He doesn't even need to look to know that Junmyeon's smiling. "Not at all."

 

 

 

**Epilogue**

 

It's really cute, Minseok thinks, how excited Jongdae is at the prospect of bringing home a new human to keep them company, maybe just for tonight or maybe for a while, if they find a good one. Jongdae's sparkle isn't quite what it was when he was human, but after six months, it's nearly all back, bringing the same light to the home that is now all three of theirs that it used to.

"You're way too cute to be a vampire," Minseok comments when Jongdae grins at him, making Jongdae and Junmyeon both laugh so hard they have to stop walking. "What?"

"I hate to break it to you," Junmyeon says dryly, "but even after centuries as a vampire, you're still cute when you're not turning your smolder on."

Jongdae grins even wider, draping his arm around Minseok's shoulders and leaning into him. "Sorry, hyung, he's right." (They told Jongdae he could drop the "hyung" and speak to them informally after he was turned, but he hasn't yet. Minseok can't say he really minds.)

"Well, we'll see tonight how your smolder is or if you can only do cute," Minseok retorts, but he already knows very well that Jongdae can do sexy, in their bed or in a club when they pick up a human to feed off of.

They're not going to a club tonight but instead to the bar where they met Jongdae. They haven't been back there since the second time they met him there, but Jongdae suggested they go, for old time's sake. "If we don't find anyone who's into vampires, that's okay, but I'll bet we can convince someone."

It's a Saturday night and the bar is busy but not too packed. They get their drinks and then weave between people to stand out of the way, looking around as they walk in case anyone appeals to them. Nobody jumps out at Minseok, but Jongdae will probably be the one to choose anyway, if he sees someone he likes and can convince to come with them.

And he does, after only a few minutes. The guy is tall enough to make all three of them look tiny, broad-shouldered and long-limbed. His dark hair frames a strong face with thick eyebrows, but the way his lips are pressed together betrays a hint of childish impatience or nerves. He seems to be alone, at least at the moment, which will make things easier for them. Jongdae doesn't hesitate, going right up to him. "Hi! You alone?"

The guy frowns at Jongdae like he's trying to figure out what he's doing, but he answers readily, "I wasn't supposed to be but my friend stood me up."

"Now that's not very nice." Jongdae is enjoying this too much and they haven't even gotten started. "Why don't you come have a drink with me and my friends?" He jerks his head in the direction of Junmyeon and Minseok.

That earns them a wary look. "Why do a bunch of vampires want to drink with me? Are you picking me up?"

Minseok laughs at Jongdae's surprised and then sulky expression at being figured out so quickly, and Junmyeon pats him on the shoulder. "Our friend here is still new to picking up humans. You'll have to forgive him if he's not very smooth."

"I was only asking if you wanted to have a drink," Jongdae puts in, already getting over his sulking. "We'll see what happens after that."

The guy looks over the three of them with an inscrutable expression and then shrugs. "Sure. Let's have a drink."

Their new human friend introduces himself as Sehun and turns out to be younger than he looks but old enough for what they want from him, loosening up after a few drinks and easily agreeing to come home with them. Minseok and Junmyeon hang back, letting Jongdae have his fun and hang all over Sehun, making him flush with dark promises whispered in his ear.

Four bodies make sex more complicated than three, and with three vampires to one human, they have to be extra careful not to go too far, but they manage. Sehun's a little whiny, but he's a good sport with a body to die for, and they all enjoy drinking from him and playing with him, slowly working their way toward a climax that's good for all of them

"I like him," Jongdae declares once Sehun's asleep, worn out from the feeding and sex. He runs a hand down the side of Sehun's face, curling under his chin, but the human doesn't stir. "Can we keep him?"

Junmyeon laughs, wrapping his arms around Jongdae to pull him away from Sehun and closer to him. "We don't decide to keep just any human, you know."

Jongdae is quite content to lie back in Junmyeon's arms, smiling. "I don't mean forever. Just for now."

Junmyeon is smiling too, his chin resting on Jongdae's shoulder. "For now is all right, but we only keep special humans like you forever." He kisses Jongdae's neck, and Minseok rolls his eyes at the undisguised fondness in Junmyeon's voice.

That makes Jongdae laugh. "Careful, you're getting too sappy for Minseok-hyung. He's going to disown us."

"He can try, but I know he thinks you're special too." Junmyeon grins up at Minseok, who rolls his eyes again.

"Jongdae is rubbing off on you," he grumbles. "I'm starting to regret keeping him."

"Liar," Junmyeon tosses back.

Jongdae pouts at him, but his lips twitch like he can barely hold back from smiling. "Is that true?"

Minseok doesn't even bother with a token eye roll this time, letting Jongdae pull him down beside him and draping an arm across Jongdae's body. "I suppose you are pretty special." He may not know Jongdae as well as he does Junmyeon yet, but he doesn't have to look to know that he's smiling again. Instead, he looks up at Junmyeon. "What do you say? Should we keep keeping this one?" He pats Jongdae's stomach in case there's any doubt who he means.

"Yes," Junmyeon agrees, an echo of their conversation the very first night they met Jongdae, when they had no idea where it would take them. "I think we should."


End file.
